Heatinq apparatus



Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

Eng. 2:

ROBERT S. BLAIR, OF SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

HEATING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

Application filed April 1, 1918. Serial No. 88,417.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Rounnr S. BLAIR, a citizen of the United States, andresident of South Orange, in the county of Essex and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in HeatingApparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to heating apparatus and devices used inconjunction therewith. One of the objects thereof is to provide simpleimprovements in heating apparatus whereby its efficiency is enhanced.Another object is to provide an inexpensive device for maintaining acontrolled connection of a heating chamber with the outer air. Otherobjects are to provide a device of the above general nature of durableform, sensitive and reliable action, and low cost. Other objects will bein part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction.combination of elements and arrangement of parts, which will beexemplified in the structure hereinafter described. and the scope of theapplication of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing in which is sh wn one of various possibleembodiments of this invention,

Figure l is a sectional elevation of a portion of a heating chamber.such as a radiator. with certain devices associated therewith.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of a device for controlling a ventpassage. the section being taken substantially on the line AA of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan taken on the line 13-13 of Fi 2.

Fig. 4 is a detailed sectional plan taken on the line of Fig. 2.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawing.

Referring now in detail to Fig. 1 of the drawing. there is shown at 1 aheating chamber or steam chamber. and it mav here be noted that the termsteam chamber is used throughout in a broad sense to denote a chamber inwhich it is desired to hold steam under pressure. as in the radiator ofa heating svstem. From this chamber leads a pasage 2 through which theair is expelled. as when the steam is turned on.

The passage 2 leads into a chamber 3 provided with a vent tube 4, whichis threaded into the upper end of the walls of the chambor and hence maybe adjusted in position vertically. It may be noted at this point thatthe term vent is used broad] throughout. Positioned in chamber 3directly below the tube or member 4 is a thermostatic member 5, of suchcomposition and position that when it is heated as by escaping steam itwill expand to a sufiicient degree as to engage the lower edge of thetube 4 and seal the vent passage therethrough. Conversely as this membercools it will, by its contraction, open the passage from the chamber 1through the tube 4.

The upper end of the tube 4 preferably pro ects above the walls of thechamber 3, although it is to be understood that the entire thermostaticvent thus far described is merely illustrative of anv suitable form ofdevice of this nature. Tightly fitted upon the upper end of tube 4 isthe device shown in detail in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The latter devicecomprises a lower tubular portion 6 adapted to fit over and embracetightly thealpper end of the tube 4. This entire device may be formed ofrubber or like composition. and it is to be noted that the term rubberis used throughout in the broad sense to comprehend eouivalcnt material.The tubular portion 6 is preferably partially vulcanized according tothe dotting 7. to a hardness greater than that of the remainder of thedevice in order to adapt it to with tand the heat to which it may besubjected in use. This vulcanizmg, however. is not absolutelv essentialand it is to be understcod that it is preferably carrie onlv to a moerate degree.

The upper portion of the detachable dein vice is preferably sha edsubstantially as shown so that its walls are convex hotli len thwise andcrosswise of the device. but it is to be understood that for the broaderfeatures of this inven ion a tubular or cvlin drical device may beemploved. and the term convex is used broadly to comprebend acylindrical surface. At the side walls of this device there is provideda slit 8 which runs len thwise. and it will be understood th t such aslit readilv permits air or other fluid to pass outwardly butautomatically closes to prevent the return of air into the device.

In order that a long slit may be employed of the atmosphere.

with a correspondingly greater sensitiveness to outward pressure,without sacrificing resistance to inward pressure, there is provided adevice 9 whirh is tightly fitted at 10 into the top walls and providedwith a shank 11, which terminates at a substantially circular disk12resting against and supporting the walls adjacent the slit. This disk ispreferably provided at its edge portions with one or more recesses 13,through which pressure is equalized in the upper and lower portions ofthe device. Also the lengthwise curvature of the slit tends to preventcollapsing of the adjacent walls to the inward pressure. Furthermore,the wall portion 14 is provided with a lug 15 which overlaps the wallportion 16 at 17, although it is not connected to the latter wallportion. At another point the wall portion 16, as shown in Fig. 4E oithe drawing, is provided with a similar lug 18, overlapping the wallportion 14 at 19. Although these lugs, in connection with the supportingdisk .12, provide an extremely strong and yet sensitive device,nevertheless either of these arrangements may be used without the other,and in fact the broader features of this invention may be embodied in adevire in which a simple slit is employed.

In the action of the apparatus, when steam is admitted to the chamber 1,assuming the latter to be filled with cold air, the member 5, beingcontracted, permits this air to he driven outwardly through the tube 4.,and from there it readily passes outwardly through the slit 8, thuspermitting chamber 1 to become quickly filled with steam. [at this stagethe member 5 expands and closes the passage through the tube 4. Afterthe fire has been checked or reduced for any reason there is a tendency,due to the failure of steam supply, for the steam in the system,

and particularly in chamber 1,. slowly to condense, thus reducing thepressure below that T he cooling causes the member 5 to open the passagethrough the tube 4, and if air were" admitted it would quickly fill thechamber 1, and the latter become substantially cold; The tendency of theair to pass in througn the tube l, however, merely closes more tightlythe walls of the slit- 8, and hence the entry of air is preventecheventhough the member 5 be contracted. The pressure in the chamber 1, and'inthe heating system thus soon falls to a point considerably below theatmosphere, but the chamber is not materially cooled, and in fact thereduction in pressure causes the boiler to continue to give off steam orhot vapor even though the fire be so low that the water is materiallybelow 212 degrees. In'this manner for a given use of coal a mu'h longerheating-effect is obtained. It will be seen, moreover, that the devicewhereby this is accomplished is of extremely simple and inexpensiveconstruction, and although durable may be readily and cheaply replaced.1

As various changes might be made in the above construction, and as thisinvention might be embodied in the different forms of apparatus, it isto be understood that all matter herein described or shown in theaccompanying drawing, is to be interpreted as illustrative andnot in alimiting sense.

Having described this invention, 1 claim Lin heating apparatus, incombination, a steam chamber, means -forming a passage from saidchamber, a thermostatic device controlling said passage and adapted toopen at low temperature and close at a high temperature, and a device atthe end of said passage adapted to open the outlet from said chamberthrough said passage upon the pressure therein being materially abovethat of the atmosphere, and close said passage at a lower pressure, saidfirst means terminating in a projecting part about which said lastdevice is removably and resiliently fitted. V

2. in heating apparatus, in combination, a steam chamber, means forminga passage from said chamber and terminating in a projecting part, athermostatic device controlling said passage and adapted to open thesame at a low temperature, and closeat a higher temperature, and adevice comprisinrr a resilient portion removably embracing saidprojecting part, said device comprising a chamber having an outwardlyconvex wall slitted throughout its entire thickness.

3.. As an article of manu acture for use with heating apparatus, adevice comprising a resilient tubular portion adapted to fit over avent, and a portion "forming a closed chamber with an outwardl convexwall lie-vine a slit therethrouah.

4. As an article of manufacture for use with heating apparatus. a devicecomprisa portion adapted to be secured to a vent and a portion forming aclosed chamber with an outwardly convex wall having a slit therethrouoh,and means adapted to prevent the walls 0t said slit from moving inwardlyfrom their normal position.

5. As an article ot manufacture for use with heating ap aratus. aresilient device comprising portion adapted to be secured to a vent, a da portion forming a closed chamber with an outwardly convex wall hswinna slit therethrotwh. each of the walls of said S it being pro ided witha portion overla ping the opposite wall.

6. As an article oi manufacture for use with heating appara us, a rubberdevice havino" a pai o onenines, one of which is device comprising anintermediate out wardly convex wall having a slit therethrough, andmeans closing the remaining opening in said device.

7. As an article of manufacture for use with heating apparatus, a rubberdevice having a pair of openings, one of which is adapted to fitremovably over a vent, said device comprising an intermediate outwardlyconvex wall having a slit therethrough, and means closing the remainingopening in said device and extending opposite said slit to hold itswalls against 1nward movement from their normal position.

8. As an article of manufacture for use with heating apparatus, a deviceformed of 15 rubber and provided with a portion adapted removably to fitover a vent and with a check valve adapted to permit the passage offluid therethrough one way, and prevent its passage in the otherdirection the por- 20 tions of said device adjacent said vent beingvulcanized to a hardness greater than that of the remainder of thedevice.

Signed at South Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jerseythis 25th 25 day of March, A. D. 1916.

ROBERT S. BLAIR.

